Tater Tot & Patton

Oddly enough I was searching on Roku for things relating to General Patton after visiting the museum in his name with my son at Ft. Knox this day. Obviously the title of this film surfaced. I gave it a chance. I'm not quite sure why it resonated and was so emotional for me. But the underlying tenant I feel is, how lucky I am to not be so alone. To be isolated without friends and family members to support you, I can't imagine. Add in losing the love of your life... this film, with patience and cinematic wonder, delivers an emotional trail worth treading. Kudos to the direction, production, screenwriting, and most definitely acting.

If you have no one right now or anyone yesterday and the prospects for tomorrow are looking slim, don't quit looking. There's a friend hiding in your shadow just waiting to give you some light. Watch this flick. Then have a beer with a long time buddy. You won't be disappointed with either.

I began getting tied up in this one 15 minutes in. The acting is good. Most other parameters are also good. But about half way in the music and storyline became depressing. Too much of characters drinking or getting potted doesn't help. I have little tolerance for real people hiding in a can or bottle, and don't need minute-after-minute exposure to it masquerading as entertainment. Too much of people wizzing too; I don't know why screenwriters and directors think that adds to their films. It has no value and is unnecessary to the story. Mostly we hated the negative turn this film took suddenly. Darkness descended, moods switched inexplicably to deep depression, and the music tone tanked. Towards film end we see why, but regardless there is not enough salvation at the very end to pull viewers out of the funk forced onto us.

The movie plods along pretty slowly. If it wasn't for the superb acting by Bates Wilder, I think I would have turned this off probably about a third of the way through the movie. But I'm happy I didn't because the ending of the film was well done with respectable character development. The story line is not too complicated, no real Hollywood-style surprises or suspense or twists, just two characters slowly learning to accept each other while their lives unfold before them and they slowly let their guards down to let the other in on their life. It was not quite what I expected from watching the trailer, I was hoping for a bit faster pace, but I didn't think this movie was a total waste of time either. Some good character development, again great acting by Bates Wilder in a subdued presentation, and some humor tossed in here and there to keep me interested. Often times though I thought that the cinematography missed out on filming the great backdrop of S. Dakota.

This is a familiar story about two people from different generations , both with a sense of entitlement. Both feel sorry for themselves and both take it out on each other. Each one having their own little pity party. They find something to bond over, in this case mutual loss, then help each other to face that loss and move on without self destructing. It's a case of misery loves company and finally seeing the futility of making themselves miserable. Oh, if it was only that easy to cope with loss. What this film tries, but fails to convey is that life is a series of losses and overcoming that loss is what inevitably, brings maturity.